Death's Hour
by Alexia Blackbriar
Summary: The weevils are raving rabid, attacking the citizens of Cardiff. Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Owen and Tosh are clueless as a virus arrives at Torchwood. And then the Doctor and Clara arrive. A long-lost lethal Time Lord virus is infecting the area, and with the TARDIS out of action, the Torchwood team must protect the Time Lord. Will the Doctor survive? Post DW S07 E13 Set during TW S02
1. Chapter 1

He gasped back into life, his eyes flashing open wide with shock and pain, and his hands grabbed whatever was in reach. His vision swam slightly as he breathed heavily only to find that he was lying on the ground and his head was in someone's lap, and that said someone was twisting his hair around their fingers.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," the woman replied. "Nice death?"

"Not the best," Jack answered groggily, heaving himself upwards so he was sitting, leaning against the woman and using her dark hair as a cushion. "Suffocating isn't always that fun."

"It took longer this time," Gwen stated casually. She jumped to her feet, dragging Jack to his own. "Owen says that's a good thing."

"Don't see how," Jack growled through gritted teeth. "Still hurts as much."

"You stopped the weevil killing Tosh though," Gwen reminded him, with a smile on her lips. "Ianto said that if you hadn't fought it, Tosh would be dead."

"I guess that's a good thing," Jack said, stretching his limbs exhaustedly and picking up his army style navy coat and swinging it around his shoulders. "Where's Owen?"

"In the lab," Gwen called, as she sat down at her desk and began to file through papers. She chucked a Tesco's packed egg mayo sandwich towards her immortal boss and Jack caught it in confusion. "Eat; you look like death."

Tearing the wrapper off, he bit into the sandwich as he jogged down the steps of the Torchwood hub and looked into the lab. Owen, the Torchwood doctor, was doing an autopsy on a weevil, looking at vials of pale yellow liquid and comparing them against each other.

"Ah, Jack," Owen said, looking up grimly. "Back again I see."

"Yeah, you could sound a bit happier to see me alive," Jack stated, leaning on the railings.

"You're always alive," Owen muttered.

"Except when I'm dead," Jack said, hopping down the stairs to join the medic, standing beside him.

"Yeah, well, you're not for long," Owen murmured, somewhat irritated by this fact. "Ianto has gone to get Chinese. Tosh has gone home, I think she was a bit pissed at the fact she almost got mauled to death."

"Good, she needs the rest," Jack nodded. "So, any idea what's got the weevils so excited? This is the ninth this week. They're definitely more active."

"And much more violent," Owen said, annoyed, picking up another vial of liquid. "I think it's a virus of some kind. It's somehow got itself into the weevils' systems. It enters through the mouth and the nose and locks itself in the lungs and the heart before releasing a chemical that affects the brain and -"

"Makes you go insane," Jack finished. "How did it get into the weevils in the first place?"

"The Rift?" Gwen suggested, appearing at the doorway.

"Seems most likely," Jack agreed. "Owen, is there any possibility that this virus affects humans?"

"Well, this thing makes things go loony, and I haven't seen any humans try to maul others yet, have you?"

"I'm going to need to see the readings for the Rift from the last five days," Jack ordered, leaping up the stairs to stand beside Gwen in the doorway, who had her arms crossed.

"Tosh printed them all off earlier for you before she left," Gwen told him, smiling.

"God, that woman is psychic," Jack laughed. "Owen, keep working on that virus, see if you can find an antidote. Gwen, with me. We're having a look at the Rift readings."

Suddenly, Ianto skidded into the hub looking terrified, clutching a white bag filled with boxes of Chinese food. "Jack!" he gasped. "Weevil attack up on the Plass!"


	2. Chapter 2

Jack rushed to the exit, swiping his gun off the desk, with Gwen following close behind. They bounded up the stairs and burst out into the open, running towards the Millennium Centre where a distorted figure was hunched over two people. The three of them surrounded the Weevil, that had been in the act of attacking a woman. However, it seemed they were not needed.

The woman was young and brunette, and was gazing at the Weevil with some grim fascination. A man with a waistcoat and purple tweed overcoat was facing up the Weevil, standing over the woman protectively, with some device in his hand. He raised it into the air and pressed a button; the device emitted a shrill high shriek, and the Weevil cowered away before backing away slowly and disappearing into the shadows.

"Clara," the man asked frantically, kneeling down beside the woman. "Hey, you okay?"

"Doctor, my arm," she whispered, pain lacing her voice as she winced and gritted her teeth.

"Shh, you're going to be fine," the man whispered reassuringly. He waved the device over her and it glowed green and made a faint buzzing sounds. "It's just sprained. Let's get you back to the TARDIS and then we'll take a quick trip to the Infirmary."

The man carefully swept the woman into his arms and held her close to his chest, as her head rested on his shoulder. He tucked the device away in his pocket and began to walk away from the scene.

Gwen glanced at Jack once, who had darted forwards with Ianto and taken chase after the Weevil, before hurrying forwards and grabbed the man by his arm, pulling his back. Gripping her gun in her left hand, she dragged the man backwards to face him.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you are witness to a crime, you are not allowed to leave. And you also have the victim," Gwen pointed out. "Now if you come with me please -"

"I'm not coming to Torchwood," the man interrupted rudely, eyes narrowing. "No way, not getting involved. And you're not retconning me, or Clara, so go and deal with the Weevil then forget I was ever here, Gwen Cooper."

Gwen raised her gun and pointed it at the man's head. "Who are you and how do you know about me?"

The man looked down the barrel of her gun, a bit surprised. "Oh, okay. What year is this?"

"What year do you think it is?" Gwen questioned, frowning.

"I'd take a guess at 2013, but you have no idea who I am, so it has to be before 2009 sometime."

"It's 2008," Gwen replied.

"Right," the man said, though he sounded slightly distant and bemused. "2008. Good year. So that's just after Martha, before Donna... which means Jack's back at Torchwood, but this is before Daleks and the Reality Bomb..." He looked up at Gwen's expression and grimaced. "Don't ask; time travel, it's complicated."

"JACK!" Gwen hollered.

The captain came running around the corner, coat flying out behind him. A look of horror crossed the man's face and he stepped back slightly, bit as did so, Gwen loaded her gun.

"What's going on here?" Jack asked, with his usual dashing grin. He turned to the man and his smile brightened as charm mode was switched on. "Why, hello there!"

The man scowled. "Shut up, Jack."

Exasperation lit Jack's features, then realisation, then delight. "Doctor!" He leapt forwards as if to hug him but the Doctor shook his head, stepping back.

"Don't touch," he warned. "I'm from your future, you'd create a paradox. I'm not even meant to be here."

"Then why are you?" Jack asked, worriedly.

"He can't fly the TARDIS very well," Clara laughed groggily, as he snuggled in the Doctor's arms, her arm bleeding into his tweed overcoat. "He brought us to the wrong time..."

"Yes, well, that's what happens when you drop cake crumbs on the helmic regulator," the Doctor muttered to her, while Jack looked amused. "Humans... honestly! So messy!"

"You can talk!" Clara retorted.

"You're bleeding," the Doctor stated worriedly, looking down at her in concern.

"Yes, that's generally what happens when you're almost mauled to death," Clara snapped back.

"We have a medical bay down in the hub," Jack suggested. "Well, it's not exactly a medical bay... More like an autopsy table."

"No, no way," the Doctor shook his head, looking stricken. "It's too dangerous. The paradoxes..."

"Come on, the whole of time and space won't explode because I gave your girlfriend a plaster," Jack laughed.

"You'd be surprised," the Doctor murmured. "And she's not my girlfriend!"


	3. Chapter 3

Finally, Jack managed to persuade the Doctor to bring Clara down to see Owen, mostly because Clara had become slightly faint due to blood loss and the Doctor's worry for her was increasing every second. As Jack lead the Doctor and his companion through the hub, Gwen studied the man curiously. He seemed cautious, careful to keep Jack a certain distance, but so protective over Clara he refused to leave her alone with anybody.

"Ah, another Weevil attack?" Owen asked, rolling his eyes, as the Doctor carried Clara to the sofa, where he set her down gently. "Here, drink this, it will help with the pain." He held out a vial of clear liquid.

Clara lifted her hand to receive it but the Doctor came out of nowhere, knocking it from Owen's hand so that it smashed on the floor a few metres away. Gwen noted that he didn't make any contact with bare skin. Angrily, Owen looked up to shout but faltered when he saw the fiery fury dancing in the Doctor's eyes,

"You are NOT retconning her," the Doctor growled. "If you're not going to help us, I'll just take Clara to the TARDIS and go."

"Owen, just... Go get some morphine," Jack muttered to him, his eyes on the Doctor as he sat beside Clara and stroked her hair and murmured to her gently.

"But Jack -"

"Owen, this is the Doctor," Jack introduced.

"What is he, a doctor of cheese?" Owen scoffed. "As far as I know you have to earn that title."

"Owen," Jack growled. "This is THE Doctor."

"Oh, your Doctor?"

The Doctor frowned and glanced up at Jack, looking slightly amused. "I wasn't aware that I belonged to anyone."

"You're all mine," Jack teased. "Now, Owen, morphine please."

As Owen scurried off to fetch some painkillers, Gwen slowly sank down into the sofa opposite the Doctor and Clara.

Jack looked between them, then said loudly, "I'm going to check on Yan, see if he's got the Weevil in the cells yet."

The Doctor's eyes flashed with what looked like fear. "Cells?"

"Don't worry," Jack assured him. "Now, Doc, behave. Gwen, babysit him for me."

"I don't need a babysitter!" the Doctor protested.

Jack shot him a look before flipping up the collar on his coat and striding out of the hub and up the stairs, leaving Gwen alone with the Doctor and Clara, as Owen prepared medical supplies. The Doctor barely acknowledged her and instead just let his eyes rake over the now-asleep Clara, checking her for injuries before he smoothed down her hair and took off his jacket to drape over her like a blanket.

"Are you an alien?" Gwen burst out, before blushing.

The Doctor slowly looked up at her before confessing honestly, "Yes." Seeing Gwen's hostile expression, he quickly added, "A good one though."

"What kind of alien?" Gwen breathed, intrigued.

"I'm a Time Lord," the Doctor told her, twisting Clara's hair around his fingers.

"And that's not arrogant at all," Gwen laughed, but immediately stopped at the look on his face. "What planet are you from?"

Swallowing heavily, the Doctor turned away before answering quietly, "Gallifrey."

"Has Jack ever been there? Because he travelled with you, didn't he? He said he did. He said he went to the end of the universe with you."

"Look - I just - I don't like talking about it," he growled, lowering his eyes looking shameful.

"Here, I've already measured it out. Average human female, right?" Owen had returned and was holding up a syringe and a box of tablets.

The Doctor took advantage of this distraction and took the syringe, checking the measurement before nodding in satisfaction and preparing a vein on Clara's arm for the morphine. He carefully injected it in and she turned restlessly, her eyes fluttering open. The Doctor sat with her and gently coaxed her back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm going to need to touch her to get at the wound," Owen said as he folded up the sleeves of his medical lab coat and snapped on plastic quarantine gloves. "You gonna try and shoot me or will I be okay?"

The Doctor hesitated, then allowed, "Just make sure she's alright. And don't touch me," he added, when Owen moved to swipe one of his hands away. "Time Lords are time sensitive and right now there's a paradox ready to explode. This is 2008; somewhere out there is another version of me travelling around the universe, this time's current version, my tenth incantation. Don't come into contact with me in any circumstance."

The Doctor finally moved aside to allow Owen access to Clara. The medic knelt beside her and began gently dabbing the cuts and scratches with an anti-septic wipe. Clara squeezed the Doctor's hand in her sleep when it stung and unconsciously muttered his name under her breath.

"Hey, how're things going?" Jack questioned, as he appeared at the hub entrance along with Ianto, who was hauling an unconscious Weevil behind him. He gestured to Ianto and he nodded once before dragging the Weevil down the stairs and through a large door down to the cells.

"She's fine," Owen informed them, "Just sprained, and she just needs to rest."

"Thank god for that," Gwen breathed.

"I'll take her to the TARDIS to bed," the Doctor said, rising to his feet.

"No way, I'm not allowing either of you two to go up while there are murderous Weevils on the loose," Jack protested, crossing his arms.

"You can't keep me here!" the Doctor snapped, anger flaring in his eyes.

"I can when it comes to your safety," Jack answered calmly.

"I hate Torchwood," the Doctor growled under his breath. "Always messing things up..."

"If you're talking about Rose," Jack said, furiously. "That wasn't our fault. That was Yvonne Hartman, and we're not her! This is Torchwood 3, not Torchwood 1."

The Doctor's expression softened. "I know that, Jack," he said quietly. "I just... it's hard to ignore the past."

"Stay here, we'll help you look after Clara," Jack told him gently. "And while you're here, you're under my protection, alright? As well as Clara."

Ianto, Gwen and Owen glanced at each other awkwardly before Ianto cheerily announced that that Chinese from earlier was still warm and ought not to be wasted. They shared the food onto plates and Gwen hesitantly offered a plate to the Doctor, but he just waved her away and refused to leave Clara's side. Jack, Gwen, Ianto and Gwen ate silently in Jack's office.

"Jack," Owen started. "I had a look in the old Torchwood records... and there was a file... on a man called the Doctor."

Jack froze before jumping up and slamming the door to his office shut and locking the door. He quickly checked that the Doctor was downstairs and breathed out in relief when he saw that he was still sitting beside Clara.

"Be careful," Jack whispered. "He might hear you."

"From all the way down there?" Owen said, confused. "Through sound-proof walls?"

"Superior Time Lord senses," Jack murmured. "He could hear us down in the cells if he wanted to."

"Anyway," Gwen intercepted, as Owen shot a fascinated look out of the glass pane towards the Time Lord. "What were you saying?"

"Jack, the records say..." Owen hesitated. "They say he is a highly dangerous threat, the highest there is on this planet."

"Nobody is hurting him," Jack snarled. "Nobody will raise a hand to him, is that clear?"

"Jack, the records say to kill on sight," Owen stated calmly.

"Well, the records are wrong. If it weren't for the Doctor then we would all be dead, a million times over," Jack growled.

Owen hesitated then grated out, "Fine. But if he shows any sign of hostility towards a member of this team, I'm shooting him."

"That's not very nice," said a sudden voice.

They whipped around and shuffled guiltily as they spotted the Doctor standing in the doorway looking slightly alarmed and hurt.

"I thought you said Torchwood had changed," the Doctor accused Jack. "You said you rebuilt it."

"In your honour," Jack added quickly.

"Well, if 'in my honour' means that I'm likely to get shot, then I suppose I'll be leaving, rabid Weevils or not," the Time Lord said dryly, before turning around and stomping down the stairs towards Clara.


	5. Chapter 5

"I told you that you're under my protection, and I wasn't lying," Jack retorted. "Clara needs to rest, and she can't do that while running for her life trying to get to the TARDIS being chased by aliens."

The Doctor sighed and looked between Clara and the door. He gazed at the exit longingly before turning to Jack and pointing at him.

"For Clara. I'll stay, for Clara. But as soon as she's okay again, I'm out of here."

"You care about her a lot," Gwen noted, crossing her arms.

"I care for all of my companions," the Doctor protested.

"But Clara more than most," Jack pointed out. "More than you ever cared for me, or Martha on the TARDIS."

The Doctor's eyes flashed furiously. "Are you suggesting," he said in a dangerously calm and silent voice, "That I don't -"

"No, no!" Jack interrupted, looking flustered. "I just - look, it's just you're very protective over her."

The Doctor dropped his eyes shamefully and then gazed at Clara's sleeping form. "I can't lose her again," he murmured. "Not her. Not again."

"What do you mean, lose her again?" Gwen asked. "You mean, you lost her already?"

The Doctor stepped back slightly, regarding them carefully, before stating, "This stays off record, you hear me? Nobody else can know about this. Not Martha, not Sarah Jane, not UNIT...this stays inside this room. If anybody found out, if anybody disrupted the Time Line, things would be extremely bad. This is confidential, and is between us."

"Can't argue with that," Jack said seriously. "What is it, Doc?"

He looked around nervously before whispering, "Clara has died. Twice."

"You mean she's like Jack?" Owen questioned, looking suddenly interested. "She can't die?"

"No! She - I mean she can't - look," the Doctor said hotly. "Clara has died, three times. But she keeps coming back. Not from the dead - but I keep meeting her, in different times, as different people. She never remembers me."

"Whoa, slow down, Doc," Jack said, raising his hands. "Start from the beginning."

The Doctor looked around wistfully before glancing behind to check that Clara was still sleeping. "Right... The first time I met Clara was in the Dalek Asylum and she got turned into a Dalek. She blew up the planet and died, to save my life. The second tie I met her was in Victorian London and we saved the world from the Great Intelligence and she died, again, because of me!"

"So... She just keeps coming back?" Ianto asked, arms folded, looking curious but serious. "And each time she manages to run into you?"

"Yes, and believe me, I'm an awfully difficult person to track. I can be anywhere in the whole of time and space."

"Yes, well, the whole massive police box thing does rather give you away," Jack pointed out, smiling.

Gwen added, "What is she then? A trap, for you?"

"That's what I thought," the Doctor muttered. "But she's just a normal, human girl. Believe me, I've checked. And she knows nothing! She's just Clara!"

"Are you - ?"

The Doctor growled dangerously at Owen and the medic shrunk back slightly. "I am absolutely positively sure. She's a mystery, and I don't like it, and the TARDIS doesn't either. Clara's stated several times that the TARDIS is 'looking at her' and that the TARDIS 'doesn't like her', but really, who can blame her when Clara is possibly the most impossible thing in the whole of reality?"

"Just to clarify, she's not mine," Jack said, raising his hands. "Not my kid, we are in no way related."

"I should hope not," the Doctor snapped, but he looked amused.

Silence fell as the Doctor gently twisted Clara's hair around his fingers. Jack shot Gwen a look and then piped up, "Whatever happens, we're behind you, Doctor."

"Thanks, Jack. I appreciate it."

"Now, Owen, why don't you show the Doctor the energy readings and the virus?"

The Doctor visually perked up, blinking. "Virus? What virus?"

"Ah, seems I've finally caught your attention," Jack smiled. "Go on, it's in the lab, Owen'll show you."

Looking a bit happier, the Doctor grinned before rushing off down the stairs into the lab. Owen rolled his eyes and made to follow reluctantly, but Jack caught his arm.

"Don't let him touch it," Jack murmured. "Whatever happens, no skin contact, okay?"

"Why? It doesn't affect us," Owen said, puzzled.

"It doesn't affect us," Ianto interjected, stepping forwards. "But that doesn't mean it won't affect him."

"Completely different biology," Jack continued. "For all we know, this virus could be fatal to Time Lords. So don't let him get too close."

"Got it," Owen agreed.

As Owen hurried off to make sure that the Doctor didn't impale himself on a scalpel, Ianto strolled off to make coffee and Gwen was left with Jack.

"Do you think the virus could affect him?" Gwen asked, turning to the Captain.

Jack eyed her. "Gut feeling? Possibly. But the Doctor may be the only person who can solve this. So we have to risk it. Now, I've gotta call Tosh, tell her what's happened... But I don't really want to leave Clara alone, and the Doctor with Owen..."

"Go and call her, I'll hold fort," Gwen suggested.

"But Clara -"

"I'll watch Clara, and also make sure Owen doesn't kill the Doctor with the singularity scalpel," Gwen reassured him. "Go on! Ianto and I'll look out for them."

"Thanks, Gwen, I'll see you later."


	6. Chapter 6

Jack strode out of the hub, glancing behind to throw a wink towards his deputy before hopping into the elevator and saluting as the doors slammed shut. It made an echoing crack and as the sound vibrated around the hub, Clara jolted upright and at the same time, fell sideways off the couch and onto the floor.

"What the - ow!" She groaned as she leant on her sprained arm and collapsed, lying there, breathing on the ground.

"Hey, don't do that, come on, lets get up back onto the couch," Gwen said, jogging over to help Clara climb back onto the sofa. "If you want I'll get Owen to give you more morphine."

Clara grimaced. "Argh, don't bother. Doctor. Doctor!"

There was a crash and the Time Lord came flying around the corner to skid to a halt beside Clara and pull her into a massive hug. Clara sighed in relief, but winced when she shifted her arm.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor babbled worriedly. "Does it hurt anywhere? Do you want medicines. I can get you medicine, I can get you -"

"Doctor, it's okay, I'm fine!" Clara assured him, grinning into his shoulder. "It just hurts a bit."

"Thank Rassilon for that," the Doctor breathed. "Not for the pain, no, not that bit, but for the fine bit, yes, that's it, that's good."

"Concerned for me?" Clara suggested teasingly.

"You have no idea," the Doctor said seriously.

Clara laughed. "You're doing the pouty face."

"Sorry, what? Time Lords do not pout!"

"You do! Seriously, you do! You are, right now," Clara laughed. "God, you know, it almost makes it impossible for me to be mad at you for landing us in the wrong time."

"You're not mad then?" The Doctor asked hopefully.

"I said almost!" Clara giggled. "You idiot! Next time, get the right year, okay?"

"You're the boss," the Doctor said nonchalantly.

"Am I?" Clara smiled mischievously.

"What? No! No! Of course not!"

"Can we go to Zoradax next?" Clara asked.

"Of course, whatever you want," the Doctor replied immediately, before he frowned. "Doesn't mean you're the boss! Course you're not!"

"Oh, I so am," Clara laughed.

Gwen coughed slightly and the two time travellers turned, surprised, having forgotten that they had company.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hi, Clara, I'm Gwen," Gwen introduced herself, shaking Clara's hand. "This is Ianto, and that's Owen. Sorry bout last time, we didn't really have time with the Weevil."

"Was that what is was called?" Clara asked interested.

"Primitive species," the Doctor supplied. "Quite simple-minded really. But that doesn't explain the mauling..."

"They don't usually attack people," Gwen said quickly. "We think it must be the virus affecting them. We've had ten attacks now this week, including yours."

"Ten? The victims?"

"All survived," Ianto told him. "All dealt with using the usual procedure."

"Retcon, I'm guessing," the Doctor said. "And really, I'm not surprised by the fact that the virus affects them so violently, for what it is."

Jack appeared with phone in hand, looking hopeful as he joined them. "You know what it is?"

"Unfortunately," the Doctor sighed.

"Is there an antidote, a cure?" Jack questioned. "Hi, Captain Jack Harkness, nice to meet you Clara. Welcome to Torchwood."

"Nice to meet you too," Clara replied. "Doctor, the cure?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Not one that I know of. And I'm ashamed, because I should." He collapsed down onto the couch, face in his hands.

"Doctor, what is it?" Gwen asked urgently.

"It's called Rassilon's Bane," the Doctor explained. "And it was created specially by two Time Lords, called the Strategist and the Scientist. They were taken hostage by the Daleks during the Time War, we all thought they were killed in the middle of their regeneration cycles. The Daleks forced them to create a virus that would disable regeneration by targeting the circulatory system and shutting down the respiratory bypass and striking the left heart; it then concentrates on the pain receptors and memory. It was how the Daleks infiltrated the citadel, by releasing it. It killed thousands of Time Lords and wiped out half of the High Council and almost destroyed the Lord President, Rassilon."

"How could a virus spread that fast?" Gwen questioned, obviously distressed.

"Aerosol," Clara suggested.

"Our records of the autopsy state that the virus is released in the form of a pale yellow gas," Ianto added. "Before condensing into a liquid state inside of the victim's lungs."

"That sounds right," the Doctor said, running a hand through his hair and ruffling it up so it stuck up messily. "But I wasn't there, I was out on the front line when it happened, so I only learnt about it from what I heard from survivors. Rassilon's Bane can't have a cure, because if it did then the Healer and the Cardiac... they would have been able to save hundreds... The only way for a Time Lord to be cured is to expel it, detox the system. But there are only two Time Lords in the whole of history who were capable of doing that, the Creator and Rassilon."

"Does it affect humans?" Clara asked concernedly.

"Well, none of you lot are affected, so I don't think so. If you were then the whole human race would have already been completely wiped from existence.

"And this is a coincidence, is it?" Owen asked angrily.

"Owen," Jack started in his warning voice.

Owen ploughed onwards. "An old Time Lord disease, thought to be fatal and drives people insane, could possibly destroy the human race, with no cure, just turns up out of nowhere, coinciding with your arrival in Cardiff."

"What? You think this is my fault?" The Doctor asked, looking shocked. "It's not me!"

"How the heck am I to know that! Can you prove it?" Owen spat.

"Why the hell would I release a disease that could kill me and by doing so wipe out the last Time Lord?" the Doctor asked, placing himself in front of a frightened looking Clara.

"Owen," Gwen groaned.

"How the hell do we know this isn't a set up?" Owen yelled, pulling out his revolver and loading it with a click before aiming it at the Doctor. The Time aloud tensed up and tugged Clara behind him, completely shielding her with his body.

"Owen, stop this now, don't you dare!" Jack shouted.

"It's not me!" the Doctor insisted.

"HOW DO I KNOW THAT?"

"BECAUSE IT KILLED MY SON!" the Doctor roared furiously. There were tears streaming down his face now and he was trembling violently. Owen dropped his gun in shock as everybody froze. Sobbing, the Doctor choked out another, "It killed my son," before falling to his knees, shaking and crying. "It... killed... my... son..."

"Now look what you've done," Clara snapped angrily, kneeling down beside the shaking Time Lord and wrapping her uninjured arm around him.

Jack thought this gesture would not comfort the Time Lord but instead cause him to stiffen and shrink away from the universal abnormality, the Impossible Girl, so was shocked to see that the Doctor sank into Clara's arms, seeking comfort and warmth in the girl's embrace.

"I'm - I didn't - God, I'm sorry, I didn't know," Owen gasped, a look of discomfort and guilt coming over his face.

Trembling, the Doctor whispered, "Nobody ever knows," quietly, his voice strained with pain and hurt.

"Owen," Jack said calmly, though his eyes were flashing in anger. "Quarantine the virus. Gwen, Ianto, place the hub in lockdown. I'm not letting the Doctor catch that virus, so he doesn't go outside until we've destroyed it and purified the air, got that?"

The Doctor didn't protest and instead just allowed Clara to guide him to the couch where he sat curled up next to her, with a blank expression. Gwen and Ianto hurried off and began typing into keyboards.


End file.
